RODGERS
TvODMAN
(rCff^i
^^i/-
schooner irare, off the coast of Florida in 1839: was
promoted lieutenant. Jan. C'2, lb40; was attach-
ed to the schooner Jefferson, and took part in the
war with the fcJemiuoles in Florida, 1840-4:]. lie
was engaged in sur-
veying duty, 1849-52,
and made charts and
sailing directions of
the coast of Flor-
ida; commanded the
steamer JoJiii Han-
cock in the U.S. ex-
ploring ami survey-
ing expedition in the
North Pacific and
China seas in 1852-
55; commanded the
Viiicennes in the
Arctic ocean in 1S55;
was commissioned
commander, Sept. 14,
1855, and served on special exploring dutj' until
1861. He was ordered to superintend the con-
struction of the ironclad Benton at Cairo, 111.,
and in November, 1861, joined Du Font's ex-
pedition to Port Royal and took part in the
capture of Fort Walker. He was in command of
the James river expedition in May, 1862; led the
attack on Fort Darling, May 15. 1862; was in
command of the Galena before Drewrj^'s Bluff,
when two-thirds of her crew were killed; was
commissioned captain, July 16, 1862, and com-
manded the monitor Weehawken in 1863. He
engaged the Confederate ironclad Atlanta in
Warsaw Sound, Ga., June 17, 1868, and after a
fight that lasted fifteen minutes the Atlanta
struck her colors. He received a vote of thanks
from congress and was promoted commodore,
June 17, 1863; commanded the monitor Dictator
on special service, 1864-65, and in 1866 he was in
command of the monitor Monadnock, taking her
through the Straits of Magellan to San Francisco.
While stopping at Valparaiso, he strove to pre-
vent the bombardment by the Spanish, proposing
armed interference to the British admiral, which
the latter refused. He was commandant of the
Boston navy yard, 1866-69; was commissioned
rear-admiral, Dec. 3, 1869, and commanded the
Asiatic squadron, 1870-72, landing a force in
Korea, and capturing five forts, after forty -eight
hours' marching. He was in command of the
Mare Island navy yard, 1873-77, and was super-
intendent of the U.S. naval observatory at Wash-
ington, 1877-82. He was president of the transit
of Venus commission: was a corporate member
of the National Academy of Sciences, and suc-
ceeded Prof. Joseph Henry as cliairman of the
liglithouse board in 1878. He died in Washing-
ton, D.C., May 5, 1882.
RODMAN, Isaac Peace, soldier, was born in
South Kingstown, II. I.. Aug. 18, 1822, son of
Samuel Rodman, a woolen manufacturer, from
whom Isaac, after attending the common schools,
learned the business,
subsequently becom-
ing a partner of the
firm. He was mar-
ried to Sally, daugh-
ter of Gov, L. H. Ar-
nold (q.v.) and Sally
(Lyman) Arnold. He
was colonel of militia;
a member of the state
legislature for several
j-ears, and a state
senator in 1861, when
he resigned to raise a I -
company of volun- teers for the 2d Rliode Island regi- ment, and of which he was chosen the captain. For his gallantry at the battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, he was promoted lieutenant col- onel, Oct. 25, and assigned to the 4th Rhode Island volunteers, in which most of the 2d Rhode Island re-enlisted. At the capture of Roanoke Island, Feb. 8, 1862, he was colonel of the regi- ment in General Parke's brigade, and followed the 25th and 27tli Massachusetts regiments, mak- ing a demonstration through the swamp on the enemy's left. At the battle of Newbern, March 14, Colonel Rodman's offer to charge through an opening left in intrenchments for the railroad to pass through, was accepted; and the 8th Con- necticut and 5tli Rhode Island regiments haWng been ordered to his support, he passed the rifle- pits, entered the intrenchments, moving toward the right, and captured nine brass guns, driving the enemy from his intrenched position between the railroad and the river. For this brilliant action, which \vas the culminating point of the battle, and for his honorable part in the siege and capture of Fort Macon, April 11-26, 1862, he was promoted brigadier-general, April 28, 1862. He was an invalid at liis home, South Kingstown, until September; commanded the 4th division in Reno's 9th armj- corps, in the Maryland campaign, and on the morning of Sept. 13, 1862, he was ordered to support Pleasanton's cavalrj' recon- noitering the passes of Catoctin mountain, but through some misunderstanding his division was the last to arrive upon the summit on the after- noon of the 14th, and was straightway sent to the support of Sturgis and Wilcox, who were beat- ing back the enemy on the left. At the battle of Antietam immediately following, his division being exposed to the direct fire of the Confeder- ate guns, he crossed the ford and, joined by
